


The Scream in the Woods

by PrincessofDreams123



Series: Hetalia One-Shots [6]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Halloween, Paranormal Investigators, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 06:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16592294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessofDreams123/pseuds/PrincessofDreams123
Summary: Clara is a paranormal investigator, currently traveling through Europe. She hears rumors of something in the woods outside town and decides to find out what. But is this one investigation she'll regret for all eternity? A very late Halloween 2018 special.





	The Scream in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hetalia, it belongs to Hidekazu Himaruya ©. I only own my OC, Clara. Thanks to my friend Loving Believer for helping with some creature rules.
> 
>  
> 
> Note: This is an AU.

Halloween.  A night of fear and/or fun, depending on your viewpoint.  Trick-or-treaters go collecting candy, parties are held, horror movies are watched, and some people hide in their houses in fear of the night.  This particular Halloween, Clara Meadows was doing none of those things. She was deep in the woods outside an Eastern European village, in search of the owner of a strange shadow.

 

Why was she not doing any of these things?  She is a paranormal investigator, that’s why.  Clara Meadows had always had the ability to see and sense things other people did not.  Eventually, she learned how to communicate with various supernatural entities and decided to put her gift to good use once she was older.  She journeyed around the world, studying various beings, from fairies to merfolk, to beasts, to spirits.

 

As for this particular night, she was in the woods due to some rumors that had been floating about the little village in which she was currently staying.  People had begun to see a strange shadow near the edge of woods, not far from the village. No one knew what it was, and no one else dared to try to find out.  Except for Clara, that is.

 

“I’ve heard, it’s a hermit, a stranger, a ghost, a specter, and just the product of scared imaginations,” the blonde woman murmured to herself as she gathered her things.  “It’s Halloween night, one of many times in the year when the supernatural may mingle with the mundane. Most people would avoid trying to seek it out this night.” Her mouth turned up into a small smile before continuing to herself, “But I am not most people.  This would be the perfect time to find out what it is, as the signs will be easier to see.” Such times often lifted the veils that normally hide the signs of the supernatural. Even those who could naturally since it still had an easier time during Halloween or other times, like the full moon.

 

Clara wasn’t a reckless person by nature, however.  She knew that dealing with the supernatural, especially on Halloween, could be dangerous, especially if the being in question was of the sort predisposed to hostility.  Any smart person would never go looking without some precautions. Clara had long ago made a portable kit for dispelling various supernatural beings that she could not reason with and was adding to it the more she learned.  With a bag containing this and her other gear strapped over her shoulders, she set off for the woods after telling the innkeeper where she was going.

 

~Boo!~

 

“How strange…” The young woman murmured to herself.  “I’ve been searching for about twenty minutes, and I’ve found no sign of anything supernatural.”  She also had yet to see any signs of a human, other than herself. “Could the villagers have really all just been imagining it?  But then, how could their descriptions all be the same, even if they all thought it was caused by something different?” Similar things had happened in her homeland of America, but she had been able to find a clue each time.

 

“Hang on…”  The air suddenly began to feel colder.  “I must be getting close.” A sudden shift in temperature was a classic sign of a supernatural presence, whether warm or cold.  Keeping herself alert and aware, she walked on. Soon, more signs began to appear, and she tried to interpret each one.

 

“Footprints from an old shoe… Looks like something from the 1800s.”  She murmured, following the trail. She shivered as a mist began to roll in.  She kept silent, so as to be able to better hear her surroundings since the mist somewhat obscured her vision.  She froze when she noticed an icy patch on one of the trees. On the ground near it, were drops of dried blood.

 

“Redcaps aren’t indigenous to this area, so this can mean only one thing… A vampire!”  She thought in fear.  She had come up against some pretty hostile beings, but never a vampire.  “I need to get out of here, fast!”

 

But she was not fast enough to avoid notice.  As she began to go back to the edge of the woods, she heard what sounded like footsteps behind her.  “Who’s there?” No one replied. She looked behind her. Nothing.

 

As she turned back to face forward, someone was right in front of her.  She squeaked and backed up a couple steps. Clara soon regained her composure.  “I am sorry to startle you, draga,” the stranger said smoothly. The man was handsome, but something seemed otherworldly about him.  His strawberry blonde hair went to his chin, and his skin was quite pale. His eyes looked brown in this light, but she could have sworn they looked a bit red.  

 

“Who are you?” Clara asked.  She didn’t try to just bolt yet, knowing that he could easily grab her before she got anyway while he was looking right at her.  

 

“My name is Vladimir, my dear.”  The man smiled but conveniently did not show his teeth.  

 

Like Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula.  How fitting, Clara thought in dismay.  A small part of her hoped that this was all a coincidence, though her sense told her it wasn’t.  

 

Suddenly, he opened his mouth, revealing the elongated fangs.  He looked away while doing this, so Clara took her chance and bolted.  Her running shoes did nothing to slow her down, but the darkness was certainly not helping.  

 

“Aaahhh!” Clara screamed as a stronger form pushed her against a tree.  It was Vladimir, eyes glowing red and with a toothy grin. “Let me go! Let me go!”  She said, immediately struggling.

 

Vladimir chuckled.  “You should have stayed out of the forest, my golden girl,” he said, referring to her blonde hair.  Clara sent a glare to him for that comment but continued to struggle. “But you can’t escape me know.  Your blood smells so sweet~.”

 

“Grr!” Clara growled and tried to throw herself at him to get him to let go, but he had a grip of iron.

 

“No, I can’t let you leave.  You’re going to stay here, and you’re going to be mine!”  He bared his fangs and leaned into her neck. Clara screamed in fear.  Vladimir prepared to bite and--!

 

~Boo!~

 

Vladimir let her go and burst out laughing.  “W-What?” Clara asked, her terror giving way to confusion.

 

The man tried to calm his laughter enough to speak.  “I’m sorry. I was never going to bite you. I just wanted to scare you.  I hardly ever get to scare anyone anymore,” he said in between fits of giggles.

 

Clara blink and then furrowed her brows.  “Why you! That wasn’t funny!” She turned to storm away, but he grabbed her hand to stop her, but it was a gentle, not at all malicious grip this time.

 

“Wait!  I’m sorry.  And, I also wanted to talk to you.  I don’t get to talk to many people either…”  He said, with a sad edge to his voice.

 

“Talk?”  Suddenly, the man didn’t seem to scary.  His eyes clearly looked red now but held no malicious intent whatsoever.  “Well…”

 

“You noticed all the signs.  Wasn’t hard to figure out that you can sense the supernatural.  I’m impressed.”

 

“Really?”  With that, the two of them began talking.

 

Vladimir went on to explain that he was only a half-vampire.  He merely had vampire heritage and could not kill or turn anyone by biting them.  Half-vampires did not have that power. “I think it’s because we’re half-human,” said Vladimir.  “I do drink blood, but it’s painless and I can use a spell so no one remembers it. I don’t want them to stay scared.”  He really didn’t seem to enjoy the notion of drinking blood. “I can still eat normal food though.”

 

“I see.”

 

“We don’t burn in sunlight either.   Well, we can get sunburnt like humans.  But we don’t turn to ash or anything. I still prefer to come out at night though.”

 

Clara nodded.

 

“Okay, now tell me about you.”

 

“Well, I’m from America, and my name is Clara.  And I figured out I could sense the supernatural when I was nine.  I think I sensed it before, but I didn’t know what it was.”

 

“I see.  You must be something special to have sensed it for so long.”

 

“I didn’t tell anyone for a long time… But people still found out and started just asking me for help when no one else believed them.  I investigate sightings or hauntings. Sometimes I’ve had to banish ghosts.”

 

“Really?”

 

“It’s scary sometimes… but believe or not, I’ve made some friends among the supernatural.”

 

“How nice,” said Vladimir.  “I… I would like to be your friend.  Can you, give me a chance?”

 

“Well, since you never were going to bite me, I guess so.”  Clara chuckled.

 

Vladimir grinned.  “Thank you, Clara.  Come visit tomorrow night?”

 

“Sure Vladimir.  Sure.”

 

Who would have thought the scariest night of the year would give way to the beginning of a sweet friendship?

 

_The End._

**Author's Note:**

> That "golden girl" comment was inspired by a novel I am currently reading at the time I posted this. "Venetia," by Georgette Heyer.


End file.
